Ragnarok : An Assassin's Tale
by f136cloudstrife
Summary: A story depicting Loki's early life, and the path that led him to become the greatest of all assassins.


Ragnarok : An Assassin's Tale By f136_cloudstrife f136_cloudstrife@yahoo.com.au  
  
Greetings all. My name is Kam, and this is my first time writing a fanfic. I hope that you all enjoy reading this, as it was quite a tough one to write. It all started with a fiction writing contest that Gameflier, the company that runs Ragnarok Online in my country held. Well, this is the result. I'm posting this before the results are out, so I guess you'll have to mail me later if you're interested. ;P /gg  
  
Other than that, C+C would be appreciated, and flames will be used to power the fusion generator that powers my neighborhood (I'm not actually sure if we have a fusion plant. Oh well, whatever _ )  
  
I'd also like to thank my mates and guild members Bakaneko, D-Trion and Kurt Q for allowing me to use them for the roles that I did. Also, sorry you died, Neko! ;)  
  
Things to note in this story: For this story to occur, since it's loosely based on the Guild Wars update on RO, the timeline of the world of RO is placed before the manhwa (the Ragnarok comic) begins. Also, if you did not know, Loki is one of the lead characters in the manhwa, and this is my interpretation of how he came to be as good as he is supposed to be in the manhwa.  
  
Disclaimer: Ragnarok: Into the Abyss is property of Lee Myoungjin, and Ragnarok Online is property of Gravity Inc. I am not making any money off of this, and this story is not to be reproduced in any way analogue or digital, without the writer's digitally signed or hand-written express permission to do so.  
  
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Time is a completely abstract notion. What really are the things that we call 'now', 'then' and 'later'? It is entirety is so vague; a moment is not measured by the 'seconds' and 'minutes' that humans set as standards. It's like they say, sometimes it feels like time just flies, and at other times it seems like it's at a crawl. No one really knows. In one split-second, your whole life can flash before your eyes. It was in one of those split seconds that Loki felt time slow to the point that the excruciating pain in his left hand felt like it had been there for an eternity.  
  
The room Loki was in was quite big, with a dome as the ceiling. Bodies were strewn across its not-so-white marble floors. The stench of the dead filled the air, as blood spilled across the room. The sweat dripped off his face, from his scalp to his sharp nose, as it mingled with his blood at the various exit holes made by his opponent. They continued to dance a tireless dance, across the room, the clanging of their weapons brandishing echoing in the room, and outwards down the long and now-silent corridor.  
  
The room was far from the front lines, but it an important objective. No warring force could continue to battle without its commanding general to drive it forward to engage the enemy. It was here, that Loki was forced to fight, not just for his own life, but also for the lives of the people of Rune-Midgard. His current nemesis was none other than the Dark Knight Trion, leader of the Guild of the Dark Hand, who controlled one of the 5 known Emperiums of Yggdrasil. It was a battle that was fated since the beginning of the Guild Wars all those years ago.  
  
As Loki faced his enemy in mortal combat, his perception of time slowed ever so much. His thoughts were focused, yet unfocussed. His mind was completely aware of the battle, yet they were straying in their thoughts. As the naked steel of his twin kodachis met the twisted and tainted blade of his foe, the seconds ran by, but stayed still. His mind was caught in limbo, as the intense battle was forcing his mind to concentrate, but at the same time the trauma that he had witnessed was causing him to recall and remember memories, and flashback between then and now.  
  
At that split second as the two-handed broadsword that Trion wielded nicked Loki's face, his mind flashed.  
  
*Flashback begin.  
  
He saw the happy faces of his parents as they looked upon him with pride. He had been accepted as an apprentice, or rather a squire, by the Knight Lieutenant of the region. All this at the young tender age of 8. He was youngest ever chosen, and it was so because of the skill he had shown in the use of the family's twin kodachis, which had been passed down for many generations. It was as though the two short swords had been crafted just for him.  
  
It was one of the happiest times of his life. He had his family, his ambitions, his hopes, and dreams. He had his friends too, and life had been good. No one expected the tragedy to strike though. None of the scryers from the palace or across the lands saw the plague which was to come. Nothing good could have come from the things that were to come to pass.  
  
*Flashback end.  
  
Tiny droplets of blood sprayed the air from the wound. He screamed as he back peddled from the blow, and made sure that his steps were far from the fallen. It would not do to allow the dead to trouble the living in such a way. It would definitely not. His foe gave no quarter, and charged on with a vigor that seemed preternatural. It was as if Trion had an external source for his energy, and that it kept feeding him, every time that he managed to injure Loki.  
  
Instead of continuing his retreat, Loki springed back towards Trion as he parried the strike that Trion was about to deliver with one blade and jabbed out with the other. Trion barely pulled his body out of the way as the kodachi nicked the side of his chain mail, and caused a long shallow cut to form on his left abdomen. Trion winced as he pulled back, and put his right arm across the injured area, his left hand being his sword arm.  
  
Loki followed up the attack by focusing his all to the speed of his next attack, which was to feint with a left handed strike to the body, and quickly turn around to deliver a quick slash to the lower body with the right handed blade. He was shocked backwards when Trion met the feint with a high parry, and kicked him in the rear knee area as he turned. The minute Loki felt the kick he knew that he had strained a ligament. His brain froze as he instinctively dove away to buy time for his body to adjust.  
  
*Flashback begin.  
  
The embers and ashes were just as hot to the touch as the flame itself. As Loki looked around, all he saw was death and devastation. Buildings were razed and people were murdered. All of this because of two things. Greed, and power. It was barely a year since the emergence of the Guild of the Dark Hand. They appeared as quietly as the dawn came, and took the kingdom by storm. They scavenged and attacked the villages, and the people were not spared either. Their unstoppable force was factored to one thing. Their leader was in possession of an ancient artifact known as an Emperium of Yggdrasil.  
  
Such was the power of the artifact that came from the World Tree, that it gave the wielder the power to shape the destiny of the world. In the early days of the world, when all was still young, this was the paramount reason between the forces of good and evil. Both fought for possession of the Emperium, for the power. It just so happened that the legacy had continued till today, and the people of the present were suffering for the mistakes of the past.  
  
All that he had with him were the clothes on his back, and his favourite swords. He had left his own village after it had been burnt to the ground nearly half a year ago. Wandering from one village to another, though the location changed, the scene didn't. Nearly all the villages in the region had already been attacked. Why the Dark Hand sought to do so, no one could fathom. This area was not of any political value, and there was no one of great importance either. It didn't make sense.  
  
Since his parents had been brutally murdered, Loki felt that after grieving their deaths, he would try to avenge them, and ventured forward to find a means for his vengeance. So far he had no luck. He had to live day by day, on what he food he could scrounge or steal. Not a really honourable way to live, but these were desperate times. He made sure to steal as little as he could, as he knew he was not the only one to suffer in this time of strife.  
  
As he turned with the corner, he noted a well-dressed man, who had long hair. Had Loki been more aware of the surroundings, or had he been not so undernourished, he would have noticed that the man's garb was that of the Guild of Assassins, the underground movement that had been rumoured to have kept the lands of the Kingdom of Prontera safe, as well as preserving the political balance of the world. As he walked towards the man in a well- practiced stupor, he planned the steal. Since the man seemed well to do, it would be so bad. Loki made sure he didn't steal from others who could not afford to have things stolen.  
  
As he bumped into the man, he reached out his hand with a speed that was so fast it nearly broke the sound barrier. However, he was shocked to realize that the next second, the hand that held the man's money pouch was being held in place. By the man himself. Shock on his face, he paled at the epiphany that he had been caught. He tried to pull away and run, but the man was too strong and his body was weak from the lack of proper meals lately.  
  
"What have we here? A pickpocket trying to steal from a high level thief?" the man said without malice, as a hint of a kind smile formed on his face.  
  
Loki just stared at the ground, ashamed and embarrassed, as the whole incident had drawn a crowd of passersby to watch the fun.  
  
"You have potential, child. Why don't you come with me to the Guild, and we'll see what we can do about you?" the man said, as he released Loki's hand, and motioned Loki to walk along with him.  
  
Still in slight shock, Loki saw the man walk away from the scene. He quickly ran after the man. He didn't know what was in store, but he had a feeling that it would change his life forever.  
  
*Flashback  
  
The man was known as Neko, and was a master of the Assassin Arts. At the guild, Loki received the training that he would require in days to come. He learned things so fast that the Masters of the Guild found themselves pressing to keep up with the boy. He was a prodigy in the field, but within him he held but one weakness. He could not kill. He had all the other signs of a great assassin to be, maybe even the greatest of all assassins, but he lacked the heart to kill, to end a life. He found himself isolated from the other students, as he threw himself into his training harder than anyone. His focus was solely to gain the skills necessary to fight the Guild of the Dark Hand, and to avenge his dead family.  
  
*Flashback end.  
  
After the last hit to his knee, Loki felt that it was prudent to retreat from the battle, and headed out into the long corridor, and sped down, even as his opponent hunted him down like a hungry predator. He swerved up and down, left and right, evading his enemy, and he switched from corridor to corridor. The corridors were no different, scattered bodies of both fallen foes and fallen comrades. As he ran, he wondered what had happened to Master Neko, and also his comrades from Arch mage Kurt's battlements. They had planned to end the cursed Guild War by launching the final battle at the gates of their enemies. It was a last hope strategy to bring down the Dark Hand, and cleanse the lands of their scourge.  
  
Refugees from the war supplemented the main regiments of knights, archers, and the like. The Assassins Guild had only sent him and Neko out to help the war, as nearly all the others were engaged in attacks from the Dark Hand in other areas of Rune Midgard. After Neko and Loki had infiltrated the Black Castle, they opened the gates, and paved the entrance for Arch mage Kurt's battlements to charge forward, and take the castle.  
  
In the main courtyard, more bodies were strewn across the yard, as Loki had witnessed first hand. Seeing his comrades die such gruesome deaths caused Loki to introspect on the whole War, from the beginning to its final demise, now. All that was left to do was to kill Trion, and the entire Dark Hand war machine would crumble into dust. He pressed on, still running as fast as possible, trying to draw out the duel so that he could recover his strength and energy. He ended that line of thought, pumping his confidence level up, thinking one single thing: the War WILL end, today, one way or another. He just had to keep running for now.  
  
*Flashback begin.  
  
Loki's mind was oblivious to the din surrounding him at that moment. In the field that was their camp, the regiments loyal to Arch mage Kurt's battlements were preparing for the battle, checking their weapons, inspecting their armor, having the blacksmiths reinforcing the weapons and whatnot. The camp was quite busy, as this was the final hour. After this point, they were fully committed to the attack, and would either succeed, and wrest back the Emperium from the clutches of Trion and his evil knights, or they would perish, and leave the rest of Rune-Midgard to follow them into the abyss. The future depended heavily on the outcome of the battle.  
  
Within the hour, Loki and Neko would leave the camp and head onwards to complete their part in this battle to be. Loki knew what he and his master were getting themselves into. It was a do or die effort, and start of the battle rested heavily on their hands. However, with the skills they both possessed, it would be a walk in the park for them to get in, and do their job. The hard part was staying alive after that. The entire army of the Black Castle would be upon them if Kurt's battlements were late, as Loki and Neko would be the only targets for miles. Loki sighed. It didn't matter. He was prepared to give up his life. As long as they succeeded today, and the threat was ended, he could die a happy man. With that settled, he moved to ready his provisions, and meet with Neko to commence the attack plan.  
  
*Flashback end.  
  
He found a place to rest in, which was in quite an inconspicuous locale. Hidden in plain sight, you could say. He was in one of the many, many rooms that lined the corridor, and it was a good thing he decided to rest. Luck was on his side, as a few minutes after stepping into the room, he heard the fast footfalls of his nemesis, Trion, outside as he headed further down the hallway, ignoring the room Loki was in. Taking advantage of the situation, Loki sat opposite of the door, so that if it was opened, he could react immediately. He sat down cross-legged, and meditated, placing his mind into a hypersensitive state, focusing his five senses beyond the bounds, and allowing his body to rapidly heal. With the wounds he had, he only required 45 minutes to completely heal, but time was not a luxury he had. He would make do with what he did have.  
  
*Flashback begin.  
  
Barely minutes after exiting the Gate Control Room that allowed them to open the main gates and also allowed Kurt's battlements access to the castle, Loki and Neko were separated by a cave-in, most likely caused by some magic attack on the castle, or the backlash of a powerful spell. Whatever it was, Loki now found himself racing across the hallways, incapacitating enemy swordsmen whenever he could, and being forced to kill them when he couldn't. The sick stench of death was heavy upon him as he realized that his route was leading him to the courtyard, the scene of the main battle.  
  
With no other options, he had to go through there, and then figure out what to do after that. He pulled his twin kodachis from their sheaths, and held them in ready as he moved forward. Crossing the main archway, he found the mighty battle in action. He was hard pressed to keep up with the action, being attacked by a mercenary of the Dark Hand almost immediately as he stepped into the courtyard. He quickly dispatched of the mercenary, and winced as he dealt the killing blow. In his mind, he realized that he would have no choice but to play the jury, judge and executioner, as these were mercenaries that would not hesitate to kill you, and already held countless deaths to their belt. They deserved to die.  
  
With a loud battle cry, Loki charged into the fray, the adrenaline in his blood pumping ever so quickly, giving him a boost in strength and speed. He dodged here, slashed there, continuously dancing a dangerous dance, the dance of death. He weaved in and out, gaining no ill, but dealing killing blows with his short swords, as the blood of his enemies spilt over the courtyard, and on his blades. As he reached into the middle of the courtyard, he heard a cry. He launched into the direction of the cry to find one of the front line medics, a cleric named Iris Irine, whom he had met the day before being attacked by a Herculean hulk of a mercenary.  
  
The mercenary stood at least 7 feet tall, had a wide build, and wielded a mighty double-sided axe, readying for the killing strike that would end poor Iris's life. With not much time to spare, Loki ran forward at full speed, which was as fast as a cheetah, and jumped as he pulled the shocked Iris away from her doom. He immediately jumped back to his feet to engage the hulk, and attacked him with a vigor that was not there a moment ago. After dodging another near fatal axe strike, Loki slashed for the kill. The hulk fell to the ground with a loud thud, that resonated in both Loki's and Iris's heads, as the entire world fell silent to them, as they realized their fortune in escaping the death that nearly claimed their lives.  
  
After making sure that medic Iris was within the safety of the main battlements, Loki proceeded to continue on to where he expected Master Neko to be, or rather where he 'predicted' Neko would appear. He moved forward with a grin on his face, that the day looked good so far, and hoped that their luck would prevail and give them the long sought victory they needed.  
  
*Flashback end.  
  
The door slammed open, and in the instant, Loki arose from his sitting position straight into a battle stance with his kodachis drawn. He had heard the loud slams of doors being opened with his acute hearing, and was anticipating this to occur. Trion charged at him without hesitation, screaming at the top of his voice, in a foul ancient tongue long forgotten. Loki noticed that Trion's sword hummed and had a slight aura of black around it. He didn't have much more time to ponder about it as he dodged, only to hear the whistle of the sword strike where he had stood merely a split-second ago. He launched his own initiative, starting out one of the more advanced katas from his family's sword mastery school.  
  
They moved, their footwork precise and calculated. Their aims were true, as they slashed, struck and parried each other's sword strikes. Loki moved and flowed like a raging river, in and around Trion, but with the strength of 5 men. Trion's sword struck like hard granite, each block and parry like the unmoving earth, stern and tough. The two elements raged at each other, having recovered much energy from their previous bout. Neither gave the other any quarter, and they continued to slash about as their sweat flowed, and their skin was soaked in it. The sounds of the continuing battle outside permeated the ambience, but it had no bearing on the two battling warriors.  
  
All of a sudden, the light that flowed into the room from the main door that was forcibly opened shifted to form a shadow. Oblivious to this, the two fighters continued, until the gleam of steel in the sunlight caught Trion's eyes as Neko, who had just entered the room, moved forward to assist Loki, and was in mid-strike above Trion's head from behind. Trion's pupils shrank in shock, and with a speed born out of desperation and self- preservation, he lashed out with his right foot to connect with Loki's midsection as he twisted his sword strike to parry Neko's slash. Loki tried to block it with his left blade, but he was too late, and the momentum of the attack was far greater than the blade of his kodachi. His slash barely cut Trion, and the kick not only broke the blade of the kodachi, but also flung Loki backwards into the wall.  
  
The impact was nothing short of bone jarring, and as his eyes trailed the duel between his Master and Trion, he tried to shake the cobwebs from his head. He would need a few minutes to get his second wind, and hoped that Master Neko would hold out until then. Still, his stomach churned, as if his instincts told him otherwise.  
  
*Flashback begin.  
  
After the courtyard incident, Loki continued to head in the direction of the big tower in the background. The battle was still quite heavily waged, so he had to tread lightly around the others. The constant clanging of steel on live steel was present in the background, and the heavy manna being dissipated by the warring mages and wizards filled the air with a tangible feeling of emotion, as you could feel the angst, the pain, and even the bravery of the warriors fighting for their lives. As he entered another archway, the heavy feeling was washed away, the battle being sealed and confined to the outside, as Loki was one of the few to be able to slip inside the castle at this point. He continued towards the tower, winding up narrow flights of steps, long hallways, crossing archway after archway, all the while under the effects of the cloaking spell. Finally he reached the door to the tower; at least that was what his instincts said. Master Neko said that in any event should the two assassins get separated, that they were to meet here when permissible.  
  
Loki knew that the major battle outside was more of a distraction, to force Trion's hand, and allow them to face him alone. Had they not made room for such an occurrence, and had they tried to just sneak into the castle and take him out, they knew that they would fail. Not only did Trion have many powerful mages who could have scryed their position, and made them open targets, Trion himself was no pushover. He was rumoured to have nearly preternatural abilities in the fighting arts, able to swing his mighty broadsword with the speed of a dagger. In any event, it was not as if lives were merely being wasted on the outside. The Arch mage Kurt's men would be clearing up the majority of clogs in the giant Dark Hand War Machine. Neko and Loki would just be taking out the main battery.  
  
He cautiously entered the room, taking slow steps, one by one. He drew his twin blades from his sheath as he readied for anything. He couldn't sense Master Neko, so that meant that he wasn't here yet. The silence of the room was a vast difference from the din of battle on the outside, but the same intangible aura, or tension still filled the air. All of sudden, he felt a presence, and allowed his body to react on instinct. From the shadows resting on the huge black stonewall, a figure jumped towards him with a speed that few could match. In an instant, Loki knew that the battle was joined as he saw a glimmer of steel against the bare light and he too moved forward to meet his foe. Steel met, and sparks flew.  
  
*Flashback end.  
  
He looked up as he felt the swirling winds touching his face, and what he saw was beyond his imagination. Master Neko was not only holding Trion in a holding maneuver, he was untouched despite the several minutes of combat that he had endured. The only thing different was that his breathing was paced quicker, and his face was covered in a light sheen of sweat. Loki smirked at the sight; he always knew that the old man was holding back on him during their sparring. He just couldn't gauge correctly exactly how much the old man was holding back. He hesitated from joining the fight, as it looked as if he would be more of a hindrance than of any help. So, he slinked into the corner, and waited. However, he did not realize that the pattern of the fight was forcing it into his personal space. In the space of the next few strikes, the two combatants were a bit too close for comfort for Loki. Due to his exertion, he did not see that Trion had noticed him and was already calculating Loki into his battle plan. Trion spun on his feet to face Loki and moved for a inversed strike to Loki's head.  
  
If Loki or Neko had been watching close enough, they would have noted that the slash was not properly balanced to be an effective strike. But Neko was not close enough to see that as he was standing behind Trion, and Loki's left eye was swelled shut, which caused his vision to be slightly impaired. All of a sudden, the imbalance was rectified as Trion's inverse strike turned into a back thrust. Only the blade was visible to Neko as he moved in for his own attack, but his body was too committed to the attack, and the blade embedded itself in his bowels. Trion twisted the blade sideways; causing Neko's already pained and shocked expression to even higher levels of torment, as he shouted out. Neko looked down to see his blood dripping down the blade.  
  
As he looked up for the last time, he drew his last breath, and rested his gaze on Loki. Though his face was filled with pain and agony, his eyes spoke his true feelings, and he showed them to Loki, unfiltered. Then, his eyes closed, and he exhaled. Loki's head was swimming in a chaotic sea of thoughts as he saw his master, and friend, pass on. He saw the look in Neko's eyes. It said to him, "Have faith. I believe that you can do it. This is your destiny." His mind however, was in turmoil, as he witnessed the killing of his one true connection in this world, and was helpless to stop it. In the split-second that it took for this to wash over him, the seconds felt like hours, and the minutes felt like days. His thoughts assailed his battered mind as he collected himself.  
  
*Flashback begin.  
  
A young Loki is being picked on by some other, bigger students in the Assassins Guild's school. Neko appears on the scene and reprimands the other students, chiding their behaviour, and telling them to head to class. He then gives Loki a kind smile, and takes the 10-year-old's hand, as he walks him to class.  
  
*Flashback  
  
Loki and Neko are sparring in the mountains, after the rain. The air is thick and humid, but they continue the battle. Suddenly Loki slips on a slippery rock, and falls the ground. Neko reaches forward quickly, and manages to grab Loki before he touches the ground, and helps him up. He gives him a kind smile, and they continue sparring.  
  
*Flashback  
  
Neko and Loki are back to back, in the middle of a huge battlefield. Their enemies surround them, and it looks like the odds are against them. They look at each other, and mischievously smile at each other, and charge forward to face the challenge ahead of them without any doubt of their victory.  
  
*Flashback end.  
  
As dozens and dozens of memories hit Loki with the force of a tsunami, his anger at his friend's murderer builds up. The adrenaline in his blood pumps fast, and his synaptic reflexes speed up. In a split second, he moves with a speed that he himself had never reached before in his entire life. His right hand clutching his remaining kodachi, he moved in a feint to draw Trion's attention away from his intended target. As his left fist drew closer to Trion's sword arm, Trion was desperately trying to pull his sword free from the body of its last victim. He pulled it at the last minute, and moved to counter the haymaker that Loki sent to him.  
  
At the last moment, Loki pulled his hand back as he turned in a complete circle, and embedded his kodachi in Trion's heart. The shock caused Trion to drop his sword and grip the arm that held the kodachi. He looked at the face of his killer, only to see a young child that he had seen years ago, when he had burned down a village in one of the eastern regions of Prontera. The child's face smiled at him, telling him "Your time is over. My vengeance is now complete." It was the last thing he saw, before the darkness claimed him.  
  
Loki looked upon Trion's face as he faded from the world. He loosened his grip on the kodachi, and let the body drop along with it. It was finally over. He limped out of the room, and as he left, he decided not reclaim the kodachi that had stilled the life of Trion.  
  
"It has done its job. Let it continue to keep him in its grasp, as it hold his very life essence to it."  
  
With that he walked out. His mission was complete. It was time to head home.  
  
--Three hours later.  
  
Two people could be seen sitting on the plains, overlooking the recently raped Black Castle.  
  
"It was a costly battle today, wouldn't you agree, master Loki?" asked Arch mage Kurt, in a tired voice.  
  
"That I would, my friend," said Loki as he sat there, contemplating the events that occurred in the last few hours.  
  
"I can understand how you feel. I lost many good men today, men that had served the Guild with loyalty and honour. I was proud to have served along with them, and it pains me to see their lives sacrificed. But they sacrificed themselves willingly, for a better future for their families and friends. Neko was a good man, and his sacrifice was probably the most important one for today. Now, we have the Emperium, and the destiny of the world has been safeguarded. And the war is over. Their sacrifices were not in vain."  
  
"True, but I cannot help but think that if I had trained harder before, he might still be here. It was because of me that he died. There so many things I could have done, but I doomed myself from the beginning by not weighing all the factors, and by underestimating my nemesis," Loki lamented.  
  
Kurt placed a hand on his friend's shoulder.  
  
"It is not your fault. Things happen sometimes because they are supposed to happen. However, if you feel that you cannot let go of this guilt, then set it out in a positive direction. What's done cannot be changed, but we can change ourselves for the future," Kurt said, trying to comfort his comrade.  
  
"You're right. I know just how to do that. From this day forward, I will make sure that I live up to Neko's expectations of me, and make the best of myself. I will not make this mistake ever again. I will become the greatest of all assassins, and will defeat those who walk in the shadows and in the footsteps of tyrants like Trion. I swear this on Neko's grave," Loki said, determination in his eyes.  
  
"Well said, my friend. I know that he would be proud of you," Kurt replied.  
  
They sat there, till the sun began its descent. Then, they left.  
  
--The next day.  
  
A lone figure stepped into the room that had been the venue of the decisive battle the day before. He walked towards the two bodies in the room, trying to recognize them.  
  
"Ah, it is Neko. I never expected to find my old rival here, of all places. But, now I know it is not his blood that I thirst for," a clear voice said softly.  
  
The figure then looked upon the other body, recognizing it as his apprentice Trion.  
  
"I suppose I knew this day would come. But then again, that was your purpose, was it not? I lent you my sword and powers, and you help me search out the blood that I seek. And now I guess you've learnt your lesson, seeing where your ambitions and greed had got you since you used the power I lent you. However, you have served your purpose, and for that you have my gratitude," the figure spoke, as if the body before him was still alive.  
  
He proceeded to pull out the kodachi that was obscenely sticking out of his associate's chest. He then laid the kodachi on the ground, and walked over to the broadsword that lay but a few feet away from the body. He picked it up, and felt a rush of power flood him. It was now his again, and he relished in its wake. The cursed power ran through his veins, and Sakray, the Cursed Knight knew whose blood it was that the sword thirsted for.  
  
"Loki, young Loki. It pains me to have to kill one so young, and so full of potential, but you are the key to my freedom from the shackles of life. Once I kill you, the sword will free me from this cursed immortal existence, and I can finally taste the sweet embrace of death," he said, his head bowed, and his eyes closed.  
  
"Soon, not now, but soon. Everything has its time, and your appointed time to duel with me has not yet come to pass. I will seek you out when the time comes. Then, one way or another, I will know what it is like to face death, and smile as he takes you to your final resting place."  
  
With that, the Cursed Knight Sakray walked out of the room, and out of the records of world, until he deemed that it was time to show himself again. Until Balder and Fenris came back, and the God's of the world trembled as they fought for their dominance. Until the world was plunged into the abyss. Until the Ragnarok.  
  
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That's all for now. If I'm up to it, my next project should be a Ranma 1/2 and RO crossover, but I'll get to that as soon as I've had a chance to read the original Ragnarok Manhwa in detail. See y'all soon!  
  
PS: Don't forget, send your C+C to f136_cloudstrife@yahoo.com.au PSS: Please REVIEW this! Good, bad, what did you think? I'd like to know!! :)  
So, please review it! Thanks!! 


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